Silver City, NM – Dr. William Crocker, most recently the Vice-President of Academic Quality and Success at State College of Florida,Manatee-Sarasota, has been selected as the new vice president for academic affairs and provost at Western New Mexico University.
Crocker’s appointment is effective July 1. As vice president and provost, Crocker serves as WNMU’s chief academic officer, reports to the university president and acts as chief executive officer in the absence of the president.
Crocker was selected for the position after the university launched a nationwide search for the permanent position. He will succeed Dr. Faye Vowell who is retiring from her administrative position and returning to the classroom.
“Dr. Crocker brings to WNMU the necessary depth and breadth of experience to continue transforming our university to become one known for its academic quality,” University President Joe Shepard said. “The combination of his past experiences that include building a comprehensive university and his experiences of transforming a community college into a baccalaureate granting institution will provide the foundation for visionary leadership of WNMU’s academic mission.”
For the last four years Crocker served as a Vice-President at the State College of Florida. Prior to that he was the founding Dean for the College of Arts and Sciences at Florida Gulf Coast University. He also led in the development of continuing education, the implementation of graduate programs, and served several times as that university’s interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. His more than 40 years in higher education include his experiences as an English faculty member where he is a renowned poet with numerous publications.
"I am honored and very much looking forward to joiningWNMU, an outstanding institution," Crocker said. "It's an exciting time in its long history, and I enthusiastically embrace the WNMU mission, the comprehensive commitment of its faculty and staff to students, and its importance to the people of southwest New Mexico."
Crocker will oversee the continuing reorganization of the academic departments into colleges.